Multiplicate writing instrument



July 12, 1960 s. ANKUD 2,944,519

MULTIVPLICATE WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 12, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

5. ANKUD MULTIPLICATE WRITING INSTRUMENT July 12, 1960 Filed Nov. 12, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 12, 1957 United SewsPamwfice This invention-relates to writing instruments andimore particularly; to a writing instrument having a 'plurality of manually actuated writing member's 'retractablysupported within the barrel thereof. H I

While various types of writing instrumentshave been provided that enabletheuser'to selectively actuate'the mechanism to eject onebf a'plurality of diflerenfwriting' members, such units often require a relatively largefn'umber of parts, require-substantialjmaintenance; andare difficult to operate; 'Acc'ordin'gl flan object ofthep'resent invention is to provide :a multiplicate wri'ting instrument that is extremelysimple inconstruction 'eflicientflinopdifliculty. n r 7 Another object a writing instrumentthatsupportsa pluralityofdifierent 7 writing members within the lower ba relportion 'and'has an automatically operative e'jec'tor' mechanism supported within the upper barrel portion, wherebyth'e particular .1 writing member to be ejected can be's'electi'vely indexed by-rotating theupper and lower barrel pdrti'onsfrelative to each other. v y

n A still further objectof 'thepres'e'nt invention'is to provide a mult iplicate writinginstrujment"of "the'ftype described that contains a minimum number of parts; is

virtually foolproof, and canbeimanufactured" in large quantities at relatively low cost. n -All of the foregoing and still furthenobj'ectsand ad- "vantages of this invention' will beeemeiap a'rent rr m a the present invention; m

study of the following sp ecificationptaken in" connection with the accompanying drawingwherein:

Figure l is a perspective 'view' of a'fwriting" instrument made inaccordance with the present invention inoperative use;

Figures 1 2a' and 2b when combined are a longitudinal cross sectional view of the writing instrument shown in Figure l, in a retracted position;

Figure 2c is an enlarged fragmentary cross --s ectional viewfshowing the cooperation between certain-parts of Figures-3a, and 3b define a--view-similarto that of Figures 2a and 2b, with the parts in an extended position; Figure 4 is anenlar'gedfragm'entary longitudinal cross sectional view through the cap of the instrument showing "certain parts 'of'the' ejector mechanism; and

r s ectional View of -certainpart oftlie present' invention, illustrating the "manner 'in"which='tlie *upper and lower t Figure '5 is a 'fragrrrentary'fiploded longitudinal cross barrel portions are rotatably engaged.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 2a and 2b thereof, a writing instrumentjltl made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a lower barrel portion 12 and an upper barrel por-' eration, and which wnrevereem the afore'rneiitioned j of the a e. invention is tofpi'ovide 1 3 2 each such longitudinal bore 16, each such'plunger being urged toward a retracted position by means'of compres- ""si'on's'prings 19, acting betweenfthe oppositefends of the cylinder -15 and the respective plunger 18. The outermost end'of each plunger 18 is provided with a coupling member 17 for releasablyengaging with the adjacentend of awriting memberZO, such as a ball penor pencil cartridge. r The coupling -17 accommodates a limited amount of universal movement between the respective cartridge 20 and plunger'18, to enable thecartridge'to angle slightly as it is ejected from thelower'barrel portion; in a manner hereinafter described; A guide pin 21 extends 'centrally between; the respective car'trid-ges 20 "and has a-bushing '23 thatis slidably engaged by and maintains the cartridges in proper spaced apart and-parallel relationship when in the retracted position 'shownin Figure 2b,"this guide pin- 21 being substantially concentric "withthe outerjend opening 22 in the lower barrel portion 12 through which the cartridges are extended. Thecylinder 15 is secured withinthe band 11 that has f a reduced portion- 17 upon'which the lower barrelportion {12 is' carried. The "outermost portion 14 'ofthe cylinder 15 isradially'outwardly enlarged to define a 'cylindr i cal surface with the facingend of-the band 11; upon which 25" a frictionsleev'e 26 and'bearing sleeve '29 are mounted.

Th'efupper barrel portion-13 receives and is *secured to the exterior of a connector sleeve 25, within'yvhich a main sleeve-2410f the ejector mechanism is-secured. Thus; the T jinte'g rally connected outermost portions of thejupperbar- "{-rel""1 3 and'connector' s'l'eevej '25 form a' single cylindrical terminal portion 13',-tha t"-:slidably receivesthe outermost arties 14 of the lower ba r'rel po'rtion 12 therewitbin to- -barrel"portion 13 is such as to allow'relative'rotation' between-the upper and "lower-barrel portions for' color. selection purposes as will be hereinafter more fully-described. "An actuator 'block"2"7'- is slidably supported *within the main sl'eeve 24 forz reciprocating longitudinal "f movementfl A compression-spring 28- acting between-the Y cylinder- 15 and the actuator block 27 i normally urges the actuator block and associated elem'ents toward 5 a retracted position shown in Figures- 2a and 2b Anejector rod 31 is slid'a-bly' supported relative to the actuator block'27 and which is alsosupported with-inathe:main--sleeve 24for 1: reciprocating longitudinal movement relative to the upper barrel portion 13 for engagement with a selectedione' of the plungers -l8 to 'whichthe selected "writing instrument flcai'tridg'e is' -connected. The exterior of the rod" 3 1 has a groove [31" that slidably engages a guide rail -z4 of the mai-n mounting sleeve 24;: tothusyprevent twisting of the 'rod 31 during the longitudinal actuation: thereofi flhe 1 exterionsurfaces of the relatively rotatable -barrel:- portions' 12',-13=,-such as the band 11-, can be imprinted with 3 3 suitable: indicia to indicate, the color of the cartridge with 'Which the-"ejector rod is aligned so as 'to enable the user to' selec't a writing-member of any of. the availablecolors. V "By'frotating the upper barrel/portion; within whicli the actuator blocle 27 Y and'ejeetorhrod fil arev secured, relatiwe "to the lower' barreLportioii, ithe -ejector ,r0d 31 can be selectively rotated to engage any one head l8a'f'o'fwithe plurality 'of plungers 18 so as to actuate the selected cartridge in the manner now described.

A push button'33 extends outwardly through the outer end opening 32 in the upper barrel portion 13 and is integral with the shank 34 of an ejector head 35 that is slidably supported for reciprocating longitudinal movement within the main sleeve 24. A stop pin 36 limits the outward movement of the head 35 which is normally biased toward the position shown in Figure 2a by the action of the compression spring 28 acting through the actuator block 27 which is integrally connected to and forms a part of the head 35. A main link 37 is pivotally connected at its free end, by means of a pivot pin 38 to an intermediate portion of the actuator block 27 and head35 assembly, which portion has a stop member 44 for engagement with a shoulder 46 defined by the main sleeve 24. The opposite end of the link 37 is pivotally connected to an auxiliary link 41 by means of a similar pivot pin 40, and the opposite end of the auxiliary link 41 is pivotally connected to the head 43 of the ejector rod 31 by means of a separate p1vot pin 42. With reference now to Figures 3a and 3b of the drawing, the movement of the actuating linkage will be understood. As the push button 33 is depressed, the links are displaced but not rotated by the longitudinal movement of the head 35 until the stop 44 engages the shoulder 46, following which the continued movement of the head 35 is operative to rotate the main link 37 about its pivot pin 38 so as to fully extend the connected links 37, 41, during which full extension movement, the plunger 31 is operative to fully extend the associated cartridge 20 to the operative position 20a shown.

With reference now to Figure 4 of the drawing, a latch mechanism is shown which is operative to retain the 'selectedcartridge in the extended position after the push button has been depressed and released until it is desired to again retract the extended cartridge. This mechanism is shown to include a latch member 48 which is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 49 to the main sleeve 24 at one side of the path of movement of the main link 37. A leaf spring 59 carried-by themain sleeve 24 overlies the latch 48 and urges it toward the normal horizontal position shown. A release pawl 52 1s pivotally mounted upon the head 35-by means of a I pivotpin 53 and is normally biased toward a horizontal position by the action of the associated leaf spring 55 that ls secured to the main sleeve 24. During the forward movement of the shank 34 and the head 35, an enlargement 56 integral with the main link 37 will pass beneath the latch 48 which will secure the link 37 in the extended position since the spring 50 tends to prevent the latch 48 from allowing the link 37 to return. During this forward movement, the engagement of the rear corner 51 of the facing side of the link 37 with the release pawl 52 maintains it in the upwardly inclined position until after the link 37 has been locked beneath the latch 48. However, upon release of the push button, the release pawl 52 will be withdrawn from engagement with the corner 51 and urged toward the longitudinally extending position 52a by the action of the spring 55 so that upon the next pushing movement of the push button 33, the release pawl 52 will lift the latch 48 as the pawl engages the inclined facing surface of the latch 48 to enable the enlargement 56 and the link 37 to be withdrawn, under the action of the compression spring 19 which urges the entire head assembly 35 and associated linkage toward the outer end of the upper barrel portion. It will thus be recognized that the first actuation of the push button will extend the selected cartridge, while'the subsequent actuation of the push button will effect the retraction thereof. 'Any particular cartridge may be selected 'by rotating the upper and lower barrel portions relative to each other to the desired position, as indicated by' any suitable indicia which mayt be imprinted upon the band of the writing instru men While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, his to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A multiplicate writing instrument comprising, in combination, a lower barrel "portion having an outer end opening and an upper barrel portion having an outer end opening, said upper and lower barrel portions being rotatably secured together, means supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart writing members for longitudinal movement within said lower barrel portion, ejector means within said upper barrel portion, means for manually operating said ejector means to releasably eject and retract a selected one of said Writing members through said outer end opening of said lower barrel portion, said means for supporting said writing member within said barrel comprising a cylinder having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal bores, a coupling supported within said bore for reciprocating longitudinal movement, a writing member secured to each said coupling for movement between a completely enclosed position within said lower barrel portion and a partially extended position through said outer end opening of said lower barrel portion, each of said coupling connecting said associated writing member for limited universal movement for accommodating angular movement of said writing member relative to said lower'barrel portion, each said coupling including a plunger extending in a direction away from said associated writing member toward said ejector means, said ejector means comprising a rod supported within said upper barrel portion for reciprocating longitudinal movement parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cylinderinto engagement with a selected one of said plungers, said rotation of said upper barrel portion relative to said lower barrel portion being operative to align said rod with a predetermined one of said plungers to index said ejector meansfor the ejection of a selected one of said writing members, said means for normally operating said ejector means comprising a push button slidably supported within said outer one of said upper barrel portion, and linkage connecting said push button to said ejector rod.

2. A writing instrument as set forth in claim l,'wherein said linkage comprises means for selectively retaining said ejector rod in a completely extended and completely retracted position, and spring means acting upon said linkage normally urging said push button toward a normal retracted position.

References Cited in the 'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WWW... 

